No difference in basal ganglia mineralization between schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic patients: a quantitative computerized tomographic study.
The role of iron in schizophrenia (SC) has aroused attention because of its modulatory effect on the dopamine receptor and its role as a cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylase. In addition, several postmortem studies suggest that increased mineralization (especially iron) of the basal ganglia is a possible clinicopathological correlate of schizophrenia. In order to quantitate the in vivo mineral content in the basal ganglia of patients with SC, a protocol was developed to analyze CT scans films with a LOATS computer analysis system. A total of 725 consecutive CT scans (275 SC, 450 nonSC) from a psychiatric population were reviewed. Eighteen scans (2.3%) revealed basal ganglia mineralization of which 7 cases carried a diagnosis of SC and 11 had other psychiatric disorders. All subjects had received neuroleptics, and 8 of the 11 patients in the nonschizophrenic group were demented. Both the SC and nonSC patients exhibited a prevalence (2.5%) of basal ganglia mineralization similar to that found in a postmortem series of the general population.
Casanova
M F
MF
Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD.
Prasad
C M
CM
Waldman
I
I
Illowsky
B
B
Stein
B
B
Weinberger
D R
DR
Kleinman
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003704:Dementia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D007501:Iron